Leonard Williams reached into his locker for the painted white football to show someone.

“My first trip to London and my first game ball. Pretty cool,” the rookie defensive lineman said.

Williams has been impressive in the first four games of his career, showing enough in the team’s victory over the Dolphins last week to be awarded a game ball. This week, he faces one of the teams that passed on him in April’s draft.

The Redskins had the No. 5 overall pick, one spot ahead of the Jets. At the time, the thought was Washington would take Williams, considered by many draftniks to be the best overall player in the draft. But the Redskins took Iowa offensive lineman Brandon Scherff instead.

The Jets’ brass let out a cheer when Williams was available.

“I wasn’t sure [if the Redskins would take him],” Jets coach Todd Bowles said Wednesday. “You think you have a shot at him. It was like, wow, this guy fell to six, so without hesitation we took him and we’re very happy with him.”

Williams has 21 tackles, one-half a sack and 16 quarterback hits, the most on the team. Williams, an affable guy who always is smiling, said he is not out to prove anything this week to the Redskins.

“I feel the same was as I would preparing for any team,” Williams said. “A lot of people asked me about that, if I’m trying to get payback or revenge or anything like that. I can’t really say that it’s payback or revenge because they really didn’t do anything to me. They basically just chose what they needed. If it was an offensive tackle, then so be it.”

Williams had a pre-draft visit with the Redskins and showed some interest in him. Washington coach Jay Gruden said they knew Williams would be a good player.

“He’s a heck of a player,” Gruden said. “He’s big, he’s physical, he can move. I don’t think we could have gone wrong with either pick, really. I’m happy with the pick we got. I know they’re happy with the pick they got. He’s going to be a good defensive lineman for a long time. He can play a lot of different spots and that’s what you look for nowadays in a defensive lineman — someone who can play nose, someone who can play 3 technique and can move around. He can do that.”

The pick of Scherff has worked out for the Redskins. He is the team’s starting right guard, part of an offensive line that has played well for Washington in its first five games. Scherff played tackle in college and has some versatility. Bowles said the Jets liked him before the draft.

“He’s tough. He’s physical,” Bowles said. “He can play guard and tackle. He can move his feet. He can maul you. He can pull. He’s one of the more complete players coming out of the draft.”

Williams harbors no ill feelings toward the teams that passed on him. He is happy with how it worked out.

“I say that a lot,” Williams said. “I think this was the best place I could have landed out of all the top teams. I’m just fortunate to be here. I’m glad they picked me even though they had a stout D-line. It paid off just because I could learn from all these guys”